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Soares hosts secret meeting of disbanded anti-corruption panel

Former Moreland Commission members won't reveal agenda

By Robert Gavin
| on June 11, 2014

Albany

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Albany County District Attorney David Soares and other members of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's disbanded Moreland Commission, which was formed to investigate public corruption, met Wednesday in Soares' office — under a veil of secrecy.

One commission member said the panel discussed "Moreland-related matters," but would not elaborate.

The entrance to Soares' office on the fourth floor of Albany County Judicial Center was closed as panel members and a high-profile attorney retained by the commission met from late morning to early afternoon.

Inside, Soares met with Broome County District Attorney Gerard Mollen and veteran attorney Peter Zimroth, a former New York City corporation counsel, according to people with knowledge of the meeting. Soares, Mollen and Zimroth were members of the 25-member panel that Cuomo formed with much fanfare in July.

Also attending, among others, was Albany attorney Michael Koenig, a former federal prosecutor who has been retained by the commission to represent its dealings with Manhattan-based U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. The New York Times reported last month that Bharara's office issued a grand jury subpoena seeking emails, text messages and other records from members of the commission, which the governor disbanded in March. Mollen said the commission is cooperating with the subpoenas from Bharara, but would not say that was the reason for the meeting.

"We discussed Moreland-related matters," he said. He said he thought an in-person meeting was best for the discussions. He said a number of others participated by phone.

Another member, Warren County District Attorney Kate Hogan, was expected to attend the meeting but did not.

On June 1 in Manhattan, Cuomo was asked about the commission retaining an outside attorney.

"Well, the commission is disbanded, but it still has work to do," he said. "It is in the process of referring cases to other offices and following up on those referrals. That is an important part of the job ... closing it down in the right way. So I think that's fine."